Our Fees

Wills

• Simple single Will £330.00 (inclusive of VAT)
• Simple ‘mirror’ Wills (for a couple) – £540.00 (inclusive of VAT)

A simple Will would be defined as being a Will appointing an Executor and giving assets to a small number of beneficiaries or Wills for a couple (married or unmarried) appointing Executors, leaving assets to each other and then on to the same beneficiaries such as children.  If your instructions are not ‘simple’ then we will discuss this with you before proceeding. 

These elements, if required, will be charged in addition to the above:- 

• Life Interest Trust Will (single) £540.00 (inclusive of VAT)

• Life Interest Trust Will (couple) £1,020.00 (inclusive of VAT)

  Where the property is held as tenants in common

• Discretionary Trust Will (single) – £900.00 (inclusive of VAT)
• Discretionary Trust Will (couple) – £1,500.00 (inclusive of VAT)
  To provide for a disabled or vulnerable beneficiary.

Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA)

There are two types of LPA: Property and Financial Affairs and Health and Care – they are stand alone documents and a Client can have either one of them or both. 

For a single person:- 

• For one type of LPA £600.00 (inclusive of VAT)
• For both types of LPA £900.00 (inclusive of VAT) 

For a couple with the same / similar provisions:-

• For one type of LPA £900.00 (inclusive of VAT)
• For both types of LPA £1,200.00 (inclusive of VAT) 

In addition, there is a registration fee payable of £92.00 per document (no VAT) to register the LPA(s) with the Office of the Public Guardian.

Please note

• The above prices apply if we see you in our offices, we are happy to visit you at home or if you are in a care home or hospital. We can confirm the additional costs when you contact us to make the appointment. 
• If your Will is complex we will advise you of any additional costs at the outset before proceeding. 
• We do not charge our Clients for the storage of Wills or LPAs.
• Registration of your Will with the National Will Register is included in the price.

Probate

We can obtain the Grant of Probate (where there is a Will) or Grant of Letters of Administration (where there is no Will) on a fixed fee basis – the personal representative will provide the details of the estate and we will complete and submit the application. 

There are exceptions to the information below in which case we will discuss this with you before proceeding but generally the following costs apply:-

• Where the gross value of the estate does not exceed £325,000.00           

£1,500.00 plus VAT

• Where the gross value of the estate exceeds £325,000.00 but does not exceed £650,000.00 and there is a transferable Nil Rate Band from a pre-deceased spouse       

£2,000.00 plus VAT

• Where the gross value of the estate exceeds £325,000.00 and there is no transferable Nil Rate Band from a pre-deceased spouse   

£2,750.00 plus VAT

• Where the gross value of the estate exceeds both the individual’s £325,000.00 and the Nil Rate Band from a pre-deceased spouse but the residence Nil rate band can be applied   

£3,000.00

• Where the gross value of the estate exceeds both the individual’s £325,000.00 and the Nil Rate Band from a pre-deceased spouse but the residence Nil rate band can be applied     

£3,250.00 plus VAT

• Where the gross value of the estate exceeds both the individual’s £325,000.00 and the Nil Rate Band from a pre-deceased spouse but the residence Nil rate band and transferable residence Nil Rate Band can be applied     

£3,500.00 plus VAT

With all cases, the following disbursements will apply:-

• Probate Registry Fee – £526.00
• Each official copy of the Grant required    £2

Administration of an Estate

We can undertake the whole of the administration of the estate, which includes collating the information relating to the estate, making the application for the Grant, calling in the assets and distributing them in accordance with the Will or the Intestacy Provisions (where there is no Will) as the case may be.   This work is carried out on an hourly rate. The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end.

Some Examples:- 

• There is no more than one property
• There are no more than 5 bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are 1-5 beneficiaries
• There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets or claims made against the estate; if disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs and would be dealt with as a separate litigation matter
• The Executors deal with the usual utilities (Council Tax, Insurance, Gas, Electric, Telephone and Water)

This is likely to attract costs of £4,000.00 – £5,500.00 plus VAT

• As above but we deal with the usual utilities (Council Tax, Insurance, Gas, Electric, Telephone and Water)

This is likely to attract costs of £5,000.00 – £6,500.00 plus VAT

• As above but more assets – such as pensions, shareholdings, more bank accounts and investments 
• There are more than 5 beneficiaries 

This is likely to attract costs of £6,000.00 – £7,500.00 plus VAT

• As above but with any unusual elements, or property abroad, business assets, multiple properties or multiple beneficiaries such as a complex intestacy or missing beneficiaries;   or
• Where the Partners of Moss and Coleman are appointed as Executors and are required to attend personally to non-legal work (such as visiting the property, registering the death, attending to funeral arrangements) 

These circumstances will attract costs at the highest end of the scale and would on average range at £7,000.00 – £10,000.00 plus VAT

In all cases, disbursements will be payable, this list is not exhaustive and not all disbursements will be required:-

• Probate Registry Fee   £526.00
• Each official copy of the Grant    £2.00
• Bankruptcy Searches against beneficiaries (per name) £6.00 
• Copies of Deeds per document    £7.00
• Certainty Search  £200.00 plus VAT
• Section 27 Creditor Notice (advert in London 

Gazette and a newspaper local to the deceased)  £200.00 – £350.00*

* estimated – costs will vary depending on the costs of the local newspaper

Please note that dealing with a property will not be included and a sale or transfer will be dealt with and charged separately (please see our conveyancing costs for an estimate of additional fees) 

Time Scales

On average, dealing with the administration of an estate that falls in the first three examples above will generally take 12-18 months;  estates with more complicated matters will take longer, for example:-

• If there is a non standard conveyancing matter involved 
• Claims by DWP in the case of overpaid benefits 
• Issues regarding validity pertaining to the Will
• If there is no Will, the instruction of a genealogist to ascertain and locate beneficiaries 
• Missing beneficiaries that need to be located
• A claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975

Who will undertake your work?

You will be advised when we take on your work who will deal with the matter within the firm.  All matters in the Wills and Probate department are undertaken under the supervision of Nicola Moore.

Work may be undertaken by Nicola Moore, Emmi McGill, Keely Chalker and Chloe Bonner; further details of each fee earner and their experience can be found on our “meet the team” page.

Hourly charging rates of the fee earners range between £200.00 – £360.00 plus VAT.